Strategic Policy Intelligence –

setting priorities and evaluating

impacts – Ireland

Helena Acheson

Head of Division – Enterprise Policy

OECD 15/16 September 2008

Working to gain economic

advantage from investments in S&T

Helena Acheson

Head of Division – Enterprise Policy

OECD 15/16 September 2008

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About Forfás

►Forfás’ mission is to shape, and to support implementation of, ambitious, coherent and widely understood long-term enterprise and science policies aimed at developing Ireland as one of the most competitive and successful economies in the world.

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The challenge of

setting priorities has

been exercising the

minds of Irish policy

makers for some time.

•Fadó, Fadó.…. (1998)

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Context for Irish Foresight exercise:

► 1996 White Paper on Science, Technology & Innovation indicated the

need for a technology foresight exercise.

► 1998 request from the Minister for Science, Technology & Innovation

to ICSTI to undertake the exercise to identify strategic S&T priorities

for investment under the National Development Plan .

► Complete in time for integration in the National Development Plan

(2000-2006)

► Heretofore, STI spending was ‘derived’ from the wider policy

objectives of each Department – no clear system discernible in

relating STI expenditure to these policy objectives

► For the future, need to make Investment Choices based on

Strategic priorities

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Technology Foresight Ireland (1999)

► Each Government Department

to incorporate sectoral Panel

Report conclusions in their own

strategic planning

► Significant investment needed

for basic research in niche areas

of ICT and biotechnology :

two pervasive technologies

underpinning strategically

important sectors in the Irish

economy

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Technology Foresight changed the mindset and culture

for subsequent National Development Plans

The recommendations in the Foresight report lead to a decisive shift in public policy and funding – commencing in the (2000-2006) and now being continued in the (2007-2013) NDPs

►Establishment of a Technology Foresight Fund by Dept. Enterprise, Trade & Employment (~ €700 million) and establishment of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) to manage the Fund

►Expansion of Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) funded by the Higher Education Authority (Dept.Education & Science)

►Government Departments incorporated Foresight Panel Report conclusions in their own strategic planning (Dept.Agriculture and Dept. Environment)

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Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation

(2006 – 2013)

► Important to ensure that our investment in excellent research also has regard to economic and social needs and that these should play a guiding role in where investments are made.

► “The Technology Foresight Exercise….prioritised ICT and Biotechnology. Focused investments in these areas have been supplemented by specific sectoral investments in health, agriculture, environment, marine etc…”

► “Research & Technology Assessment underway (to develop options) for Nanotechnology……based on the following principles:

• the potential for quality research & critical mass

• the potential to create an international uniqueness for Ireland in the research area e.g. converging or emerging technologies

• relevance to Ireland’s current and future industrial, economic and social development”

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The wider S&T rationale for Technology

Assessment

►Ireland is a small, open economy making (internationally)

relatively small investments in the S&T base

►Need for coherent national strategies towards emerging S&T areas

►Request from Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment to

Forfás to pilot a TA exercise – capability building with respect to a

strategic policy intelligence ‘tool’ to contribute to better decision-

making

►D/ETE Chair the Inter-Departmental Committee for Science &

Technology; reports to the Cabinet Committee on S&T – part of the

new governance structure for S&T policy in Ireland

►Seeking improved policy coherence and more ‘joined up’ thinking

and implementation by the different actors in the National

Innovation System

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The TA Process…to develop options

Connect

Make

Patient

NanoElectronics

Panel

Patient

Make

Pure

NanoMaterials

Panel

Lifestyle

Pure

Patient

NanoBio

Panel

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Areas of strategic interest to Ireland

requiring nanoscale capability

NanoHealth & Lifestyle

► Diagnostic Chips and Sensors

► Active ingredients

► Protective coatings

► Implants – biocompatible; neuron-implants

Agrifood

► Intelligent packaging

► Nano-emulsions

► Targeted herbicides & pesticides

Energy

► Photosynthetic-based solar cell

ICT & Electronics

► Logic and storage technologies

► Data processing and transmission

► Component assembly

► Quantum and DNA computing

► Photonic crystals

► Ubiquitous computing systems

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What the experience taught us :► Minister as client with a real need (NDP),

► Kept implementers ‘on side’ throughout

► Industrialist as Champion (Chairman)

► Strong industrial participation in panels also gave credibility

► Realistic project timeframe with widespread consultation

► ‘user-friendly’ reports and the overarching message was simple

► More cross-panel deliberations – innovative ‘hot spots’ and could have

pushed stronger on certain issues e.g. sustainable development

► (Perhaps) more developed implementation modes e.g. stand-alone

Research Centres

► Change of mindset at Cabinet level. Responsibility for S&T (Tánaiste)

► Foresight Fund ‘ring-fenced’ in 2002 Budget

► Forfás continued to develop its long-term perspective in public policy

making

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RTDI Measures for Staying Competitive

► Supporting changes in Innovation Systems (IS):

• Stimulate knowledge generation, diffusion, absorption

• Develop new understanding of IS (actors, outreach, …)

• More multifaceted ‘innovation’ policy (trans-policy-fields, -sectoral, -governance levels, -national, …)

► Adapting Framework Conditions (soft and hard):

• Competencies and values, entrepreneurship culture, tech. standards,

• legal and work regulations, institutional & social capital, ….

► Using more Strategic Policy Intelligence (SPI) more intelligently:

• Strategic analyses of (trans-)national / regional / sectoral innovation

• systems and processes

• Benchmarking, policy monitoring & evaluation

• Technology Foresight & Assessment, inclusive policy design

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The set of activities to

search, process, diffuse

& protect information in

order to make it

available to the right

persons at the right

time,

so that they can take

the right decisions.

Related to Research

& Innovation (RTDI)

policies this includes

such policy support

instruments as foresight

& technology

assessment,

monitoring,

benchmarking, regional

innovation auditing,

strategic evaluation, ….

Strategic Policy Intelligence (SPI)

Tools

(S&T) Foresight

Visions & optimisedpriorities

Innov & Tech Assessment,ex-ante evaluation

Prioritised action lines, agendas

(S&T) Roadmapping

Optimised programs

Monitoring of theimplementation

Results / changes

Strategic evaluation,(innovation)

audits,Benchmarking

Recommendationsfor future actions

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Advantages of SPI-based Approaches

They address complexity, uncertainty and ambiguity, provide basis for better decisions and investments(better informed, more broadly based & consensual, more credible and implementable and, on average less risky and more optimum)

o early recognition of economic and social opportunities

o early warning against negative impacts

o procedures for mitigating conflicting situations

o reducing costly errors – or costly missed opportunities

► background knowledge for planners & designers, decision aid for technology developers, users, regulators

► contributions to resilient system (improved functionality, consensual co-ordination, policy coherence), socially and environmentally compatible design

► attracting more investments also from other sources, incl. FDI

► SPI can help upgrade Innovation Systemsand Increase Competitiveness

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Why SPI tools can work well

in smaller territories

Geographical closeness is important for the final translation of

knowledge into economically relevant activities, and for organising

‘learning’ capacities through multi-actor networks and PPPs

Technology trends may be predictable, but not long term applications

Foresight works best with short term possibilities & long term

probabilities

As S&T issues are inextricably linked with a wide range of economic,

societal & political factors Foresight is relevant to all aspects of

development

Successful Foresight has strong bottom up elements

Great impact may be achieved also in poorer, less confident regions,

because Foresight makes people think creatively - takes them out of

their current ‘mental environment’